Microsoft China uses ‘Windows 9’ as official name of next edition

Microsoft’s China division today briefly touted “Windows 9” in a post to the Weibo micro-blogging service, bolstering the speculation that the company will stick to a numerical name for its next OS.

Although Microsoft China quickly deleted the post, the Chinese-language website cnBeta.com grabbed a screenshot before it disappeared. The post said, “Microsoft’s latest OS Windows 9 is coming soon.”

cnBeta.com

The post also featured a crude mockup of a Windows 9 logo taken from a series of Windows wallpapers crafted by ShyDesigns in January.

While the post was nothing more than a tease, the use of “Windows 9” makes it more likely that Microsoft plans on using that moniker when it ships the upgrade next year.

What Microsoft names the next Windows will show how desperately it wants customers to forget Windows 8, the 2012 upgrade that by most measurements has been a failure.

In 2009, Microsoft backed away from the Windows Vista flop by changing from names to a numerical designation with Windows 7. By ditching numbers and returning to a name, Microsoft could further distance the new from Windows 8’s reputation.

According to reports, Microsoft will host an event on Sept. 30 to introduce Windows 9 — which has also been labeled “Threshold” — and perhaps offer preview code to developers or even the public.